A Treasure Well Hidden
by hotchocolate101
Summary: Captain Arnold has his work cut out for him. Having been abandoned by his crew on a deserted island to die, he gets picked up by an unlikely group of people. What's in store for him? Who will he meet? Read to find out! AU AxH OOC? Maybe.
1. Is this the End?

Note: Yeah, I know I haven't updated "Surprise Surprise". I am still trying to get the angle right in the next chapter and it's posing to be a challenge. In the mean time though, I thought I would get this idea out of my head. It's another AxH fanfic but this time, rather than the future, I am setting it up as mostly AU. And I say "mostly" for a reason.

Anyway, this is my second fanfic and hopefully it will help me get the next chapter of Surprise Surprise out.

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The heat was blistering. The only thing that made it bearable was the gentle sound of the soft waves hitting the beach and the clear blue sky. For Arnold, it wasn't so bad. Sure, his crew decided to turn and abandon him on a tiny island for being "spineless" and too caring. But at least it was a pretty island. Under other circumstances, it could have been a great hidden escape. But right now, the heat and now unavoidable thirst was making it difficult to find the silver lining...

Currently, he was just sitting under a palm tree trying to stay in what little shade he could. He had already explored what he could of the island; twice. It kept him busy for at least one day and confirmed that he really was the only living being here. There weren't even any animals that he could attempt to hunt for food. Earlier today he decided to walk around the island again to keep himself busy; looking at things, contemplating new adventures...It was really all strange to him because the more he looked at his surroundings, the more it looked like he wasn't the fist person to be here. The sand on the beach was not unmarred like you would think of a deserted island, there were unnatural pathways between the dune grass, and in the middle of the island there was a clearly distinguishable clearing that wouldn't have been there otherwise. It really just didn't make any sense.

By this point the sun was soon going to disappear behind the coast line. Arnold figured he would spend the night in the clearing; at least then he could fall asleep looking at the stars and be far enough away from the water that he wouldn't get swept away with the tide or something. Lying down and looking at the dark sky, he started thinking about when he was still Captain of that mighty ship. He was originally part of the navy. It made him so proud thinking that he was part of something great and based on justice. But he soon learned how corrupt it was and tried his best to fix it; to convince his peers to do the right thing. Well, clearly it didn't turn out well and now he was stuck here.

Arnold started glaring at the starry night. If things remained as they were, he wouldn't last much longer; especially with no water or food. Speaking only to himself before drifting off to sleep he asked, "Is this really how things will end for me? Is this what I get for trying to do the right thing?"

"Why...bothe...stupi...making me...basta...criminy..."

The voice of someone cursing under their breath and the sound of sand shifting beneath their feet is was started pulling Arnold out of his slumber. It was hard to make out what they were saying but it was clear that they were mad about something and pacing. Listening a little longer, it took him a minute to remember that this island was _suppose_ to be deserted. _So where did this person come from?_ he thought in wonder. Curiosity finally got the better of him as he fully woke up. But when Arnold opened his eyes, expecting to see the light of day, all he saw was darkness. Confused, he attempted to rub his eyes, thinking that maybe he was wrong and that it was actually night time still. The problem with that plan was that he couldn't move his arms. At this point it didn't take him long to realize that, not only was he securely tied up like a piece of meat, but he was gagged and blindfolded. Panic sunk in and he started struggling against his bindings, rolling blindly around in the sand. It was then that a second voice came in, causing Arnold to stop what he was doing. "Tha' won't be doin' ye any good lad. Best to wait calmly while teh Captn' decides yer fate." There was some more shifting sand as the person approached Arnold. He tried to roll away but the person grabbed him and held him in place. "Now, now..." he said. "We won't be havin' any of that." There was a brief moment of silence and then the man asks, "Captn', do I have yer permission?" Another moment. "Thank ye Captn'". At this point, Arnold expected the worst and struggled for dear life. Much good it did him as the man effortlessly lifted him off the ground and propped him up in a sitting position against the large trunk of one of the palm trees. "Now calm yer self down. We just be havin' a chat wit ye..." It was then that the blindfold and gag was removed and after blinking a few times Arnold could see the blinding light of day again...as well as his captors.

The man who removed the gag and blindfold was huge. It was no wonder that he could life Arnold as he did. The only thing that he could tell of this man was that he was clearly a pirate and he couldn't have been much older than Arnold himself. Short, ripped, trousers and darkly tanned, it was clear that this man served his life on the sea. Arnold also noticed that he didn't seem to be carrying any weapons which calmed him down a bit. Looking around, they were still in the clearing and there was no sign of the second person who woke him up. It was then the man moved back a bit, sat down and spoke. "Now, what's yer story lad? It's clear ye be Navy. So how did ye end up on this forsaken speck of land?" Arnold was taken aback by the mans casual manner and was about to answer when the man added, "And don't ye be lying. De Captn' is closer than ye think and can spot a lie a mile away..."

Looking around again, trying to spot this so called Captain but failed. "I am, or rather was, Captain Arnold Shortman. We were on our way to Port Hillwood when my crew turned on my and left me to die here three days ago..."Arnold was surprised at how raspy his voice became. Thirst and hunger was starting to get the better of him. "I want to speak with your Captain. Where is he?"

The man was clearly amused. and ignoring Arnold's question he asked, "And what business had ye in Port Hillwood? Tis a long way for a man of teh Navy..." The man smiled a bit. Clearly he was enjoying this at the expense of Arnolds comfort...

It was a moment before Arnold answered. He was a man of the Navy! He shouldn't be telling confidential information like this to pirates. He decided to tread carefully from this point. "We were looking for someone. The youngest daughter of a high official...It seems like she was kidnapped..." For a moment, it looked like the man was deep in thought. So Arnold asked again, "Where is your Captain? I want to speak with him." It was then that the man looked somewhere behind Arnold. Due to his position, he couldn't really turn and look behind him but from the corner of his eye, he could tell that there was someone leaning on the other side of the tree right behind him...

"Well Captn'?" The man asked. "What ye think?"

The silence was deafening as Arnold and the man waited for a response. What will they say? What was his fate? The seconds stretched into minutes and the minutes felt like eternity. The answer they got was completely unexpected to Arnold. A grunt; the person simply grunted and walked away. Once the footsteps couldn't be heard anymore, the man spoke up. "Well tha' be good enough fur me..." The man got up and brushed the sand off himself. "Looks like ye be comin' wit us, lad..."

"What?!" Arnold exclaimed. "How exactly did you come to that conclusion? The Captain just grunted!" The man approached Arnold again and crouched in front of him simply stating, "If ye have known te Captn' as long as I have, you just know..." The man lightly chuckled at some unknown joke and was about to blindfold Arnold again. Arnold attempted to move out of the way but failed as he fell over with a grunt from his sitting position. At this, the man only chuckled harder."Why must you blindfold me if I am already going with you? It's not like I can fight back right now..."

The man simply smiled and shook his head as he proceeded to put the blind fold on Arnold. "Teh Captn' likes their privacy. Only teh most trusted crew know's what they be lookin' like. Outsiders who find out, generally won't be lasting long and finding themselves sinking in teh deep..."Once the man was satisfied with the blindfold, he hoisted Arnold up and carefully slung him over his shoulder and started walking in some unknown direction. "At least ye still get to talk on teh way back to teh ship." Another little bit of laughter. "And now that you are coming with us, I get to drop this silly accent. The Captain has a thing for theatrics and word play, you see."

Arnold, slightly shocked by the change of speech, was intrigued by this tiny bit of information. "Really? A bit of an odd trait for a pirate Captain to have. Why is that?"

"No idea." He said. "But it makes life on the ship a bit more interesting at times..." Arnold could hear the sound of waves get loud as their paced slowed. "A hoy, Captain!" The man suddenly called and came to a stop, supposedly in front of this mysterious Captain. Arnold could hear a few soft spoken words but couldn't make them out. "Ok Arnold", the man spoke up. "We have one more question for you before we bring you with us..."

Puzzled, Arnold asked, "And what would that be?"

"Would you be willing to leave your Navel roots for good to get off this island?" Arnold froze. _Leave the Navy? How could I even consider that? _For the past several years, the Navy was all he ever knew. It was his life, sailing the open waters fighting for justice. He couldn't just leave to live a life completely opposite. He was about to refuse when a small voice echoed in this head. _"The Navy left you to die for trying to do the right thing. They abandoned you...You owe them nothing..."_ It was hard to face that reality. He didn't want to. But it was time for Arnold to move on. Besides, who says that he can't do the right thing while being a pirate?

So throwing caution to the wind he said firmly, "Yes, I will."

"Good to hear lad! We're glad to have another skilled sailor on the crew." He then proceeded to put Arnold in what he assumed was a small sail boat and continued to talk. "Captain says I can take your bindings off as long as you keep the blindfold on for now. Think you can do that?" He nodded, flooded with some relief was the ropes were removed. "Good. The name is Ron, by the way. I am the first mate of the crew so if you need anything, find me." He then placed something in Arnold hands. "Have some of that. I am sure after three days you must be dying of thirst..."

Grateful, Arnold greedily swallowed down the water as the boat started moving. It felt like he was washing away the torture from the past few days. Never would he take water for granted again. Still drinking, Ron said "When we get back to the ship, I'll have the cook whip something up for you."

"Thank you," and although he could see them he added: "And thank you Captain, for allowing me to be a part of your crew." He didn't know what to expect. At the least he was hoping for them to say your welcome. But all that came was another grunt, again from somewhere behind him, followed by a sharp, full footed, kick in the back, causing Arnold to fall forward. All he heard was the Captain chuckling.

"Looks like the Captain likes you..." Ron simply said. Instead of getting frustrated, Arnold just let it go as they continued to sail to the main ship.

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**Writers Note: This story was actually inspired by a picture I saw on Deviant art. It was a pirate themed drawing featuring Hilda and Arnie. It then hit me, that as far as I knew, there were no ArnoldxHelga pirate themed fanfics. I wanted to fix that. And this, so far, is the result. Hope you enjoyed chapter 1!**

**Anyway, I would like feedback on this if possible. I am not use to writing from a male perspective (A hint as to why Ch 5 of Surprise Surprise is taking so long, ha ha)**

**Anyway, I will try my best to continue this one and get the next one out. Sorry for taking so long!**


	2. The Fifth Avenger

**Graah! Happy Holidays Everyone! Yeah, I am actually on a family vacation right now in Germany! Fun times. Anyway, I figured I had a few hours to spare so I am going to write a bit to keep the story going (because let's face it, pirates are awesome). Anyway, here is Chapter 2! I do not own Hey Arnold in anyway. But the story of "A Treasure Well Hidden" is indeed my creature made out of boredom. Enjoy!  
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The trip back to the main ship felt really long to Arnold. It certainly didn't help having the blindfold on, that was for sure. But Arnold enjoyed it regardless. Ron was an amazing guy. He essentially talked non-stop about all of the adventures they have been on and the things that they hope to do next. Yeah, a lot of it involved going against the law and fighting the navy which didn't fully sit well with Arnold but he gave his word so it was something that he would have to deal with for the time being. For a while there, during all of those stories, he forgot that the Captain was with them but every now and then he could hear him laugh at what Ron was saying, almost as if it were an inside joke between them.

"...and then, just before the swine of a dog was about to plunge their rusted excuse for a blade in my chest, the Captain came out of no where and tackled him to the ground before he could even blink!" Ron laughed at the memory before continuing, "I am telling you Arnold, becoming a Pirate was probably one of the best things I ever did. It is far more satisfying than my life before..." Arnold was just about to ask him what that was but the tiny sail boat bumped into something hard. "Ah, here we are at last. Home, sweet home. Let me give you a hand to the rope ladder. The Captain goes first, obviously, but either way..." Arnold felt the small boat rock a bit a both Ron and the Captain stood up and started moving around him. Ron then grabbed him by the arm and directed him to the ladder. "Ok, lad", he said, "I figure by the time you get up there you can take the blind fold off. The Captain should be in their quarters at that point."

Arnold thought this to be a bit strange. _Why would the Captain go to his quarters right away?_ He thought. _Wouldn't he just go to the Helm and start giving orders...?_ After a few minutes of blindly struggling up the rope ladder, Arnold finally found his footing on the deck of the ship and immediately uncovered his eyes. Huge wouldn't even begin to describe what he saw. While the ship he captained had only 2 masts for quick sailing, this ship pretty much dwarfed it with 5 towering ones. There were men everywhere, running this way and that and working the ropes to pull up the small boat that they were on before, which Arnold noticed that there were three very similar ones hanging on the sides already. It was then that Ron finally came up and stood next to him. "Welcome Arnold," he said, "to Queen Betsie's Fifth Avenger...And those," he pointed towards the smaller boats "Are Avengers one through four. The each have their purposes but we'll get to that when the times come."

Arnold just stood there flabber-gasted. _This is a pirate ship? How in the world is this a _pirate_ ship?_ It took him a few minutes to realize that Ron was walking away towards the

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Helm and he quickly tried to catch up to him. "Ron, is this seriously a pirate ship? I mean this thing is massive!" Ron just laughed at him but didn't stop walking.

"Were you not listening at all on the way here?" He said, "I told you before, this was a ship that we stole. It use to belong to King Robert Pataki, from the northern kingdom, called the _E__mporium. _I tell you, we all thought the Captain was nuts when they said that they wanted to take this gem. No one dares to mess with King Robert..." It was then that Ron stopped and looked at him. "But the Captain got us through it all; we don't know how but we managed it." Ron started walking again. "You will soon come to learn that our Captain has nerves of steel and wits sharper than the best blade in the world..."

It was then out of the blue that a loud bell rang. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks to look at the helm. "Listen up everyone!" A deep voice called out. "We have a new comer among us. You will notice him from his very...unusually shaped head." Everyone suddenly started looking at him. "Until I have decided where to put him permanently, he will be the goody two-shoes of our delightful crew, helping out where it is needed. Work him good till all he has is paste for brains." At that moment, Arnold had finally found the speaker. There, standing at the edge of the Helm looking down on everyone, soon at tall, dark shadowy figure. The only real defining features on them, as far as Arnold could tell, was that they has a long and wild blond mane of hair and a piercing clear blue eye. The other eye was covered by a black as night eye patch. Everything else about their face and appearance was covered.

"And you, Shortman..."It took Arnold a moment before he realized that the Captain was finally speaking to him. "I am only going to say this once. I am Captain Hellbringer and I have three rules on this vessel." He gazed at Arnold with that blue eye of his. "First, no one other than First Mate Ron is allowed to enter my quarters. Second, my word is the Law on this ship. If I find you or anyone on this ship breaks that law, you will be answering to me and I will deal with you accordingly. And lastly, I change the law as I see fit any time that I want. Do you understand?" Arnold swallowed hard. He was starting to wonder if he would have been better off on that island. "I can't hear you, Shortman!"

"What ever you say, Captain!" He shouted.

"That's right," Captain Hellbringer said, "whatever I say. Welcome to the rest of your puny life." They turned back to the rest of the crew. "As for the lot of you, get back to work. We're heading to Port Hillwood." Everyone cheered as if it was the best idea in the world. Arnold, on the other hand, watching as Hellbringer walked out of sight, thought it was oddly coincidental that they would be heading to Port Hillwood off all places. But he didn't get much time to dwell on it because he was thrown into work right away.

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The night was relatively still as Arnold laid in his cot below deck, listening to the other men discuss stories of their past lives and the things that they did before becoming a part of Hellbringers crew. They spoke of loved ones they left behind, dreams that they once had, and legends that entertained them as children. They sang songs and spoke of their opinions. Listening to how they talked opened Arnold's eyes to a different side of the pirate story that he never knew.

All throughout his childhood, he was always told that pirates were villainous people, who cared only about themselves and did what ever they could to get the best treasure even if it meant breaking the law and killing anyone who stood in their way. He was told that they were dirty and covered with disease. But all of these men, and their stories, were starting to change the ill view of them that he had before. From what they were saying, it almost seemed like becoming a pirate was the best thing that has ever happened for them and they are a lot happier for it. Arnold was about to think about it more when someone interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Arnold!" Arnold turned his head to see who was calling him. The guy was pretty small for a young man, with curly red hair and freckles all over his face. Arnold was pretty sure he was called Eugene. As far as he could tell, the guy was pretty clumsy and hurt himself quite often. "I am not sure if you knew already but this ship seems to be haunted. Gosh, I find it hard to sleep at night because of it."

"Haunted?" Arnold said, "really? I find that a little difficult to believe..."

"It's true!" Eugene exclaimed. "Ask Gerald about it. He tells the story the best anyway...He has been here almost as long as Ron has so he would know!" Eugene looked towards the darker skinned man known as Gerald. Gerald and Arnold became good buddies rather quickly considering that it has only been a day since he came here.

"Well..."Gerald piped in, "That isn't quite true. Rather than the ship being haunted, it is more like the Captain himself who is..." Everyone nodded in agreement and a few even asked Gerald to tell the story for everyone because they seemed to like it. Arnold just quirked an eyebrow at him in question. Looking at everyone, who at this point all gathered around the area, said very dramatically: "Very well. I, the keeper of lore, will tell you this sad tale of our great Captain and the spirit that regularly visits us on the night of no moon. Get comfortable and we shall begin..." As everyone sat down or got into their cots, Arnold closed his eyes as he listened to Gerald tell the tale. "It all began several years ago, long before I became a part of this crew, and before Hellbringer was the man he is today..."

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**And there you have it. That is chapter 2! I hoped you liked it. I admit, it is a couple hundred words shorter than the last chapter but I tried to put in some HA! references in it despite it being AU. And yes, I put a story within a story. So really, that is like, two cliff hangers in one! Do you hate me now? I hope not. Because I am going to really try and make this story even better. Anyway, again I wish you all a happy holiday, whatever it is that you celebrate.**

**Look forward to the next chapter!**


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